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Your Excellency,
It has become pertinent, to revisit the issue relating to the payment of salaries and pension to serving and retired civil servants in the State. This is because of the suffering of Kogites due to non and partial payment of wages; amidst delays even when Federal allocation has been received.
Table Shakers Association of Nigeria (TSAN), Kogi State Chapter agree that the vexed issue of non and partial payment of salaries and pension is not the creation of the New Direction administration. The benefits of the sanitization of the civil service embarked on by your administration is not only laudable but overdue. Unfortunately, the outcome of the screening exercise has not justified the time and resources expended on it.
The reality of the situation in Kogi State is that Kogites are in anguish due to civil servants being owed several months salaries. The state net statutory allocation for the month of May and June is put at N3,365,730,438.52 and N3,463,836,647.84 respectively. And the value added tax(VAT) for the month of May and June is N967,860,517.25 and N875,315,108.29. This money should be used judiciously, and the workers and pensioners should be a priority.
Your Excellency, Kogi State remain mainly a civil service state but it is hoped that this situation will change in not too distant future. However, the negative multiplier of nonpayment of salaries and pension has been tremendous which substantially explains the vicious spiral of poverty in Kogi State at the moment.
To allude that Kogi State is presently in recession is stating the obvious.
The window of opportunity opened with the allocation of June must not be missed as was the case in the past.
And we plead that you make settlement of outstanding salaries and pensions top priority. There is hunger and suffering in our state that non payment of remuneration of workers have exacerbated.
The position of government on unfulfilled obligations in terms of salaries is not only conflicting, it is at variance with the true position of things.
Your Excellency, it is in the interest of everyone in the state; leaders and the led to finally resolve the payment of salaries. The buck stops on your table, sir, and it’s about time you take charge.
Most of your appointees, advisers and aides are not telling you the truth about this issue; that is the truth.
Claims of payment of salaries and number of months owed as announced by government are feeble attempts to deceive Kogites and Nigerians. The people at the short end of the stick know better.
Your Excellency, transparency without accountability is akin to a man hopping on a single leg while proclaiming to everyone that all is well.
Your Excellency, laborers deserve their wages; it is their right and not a privilege. In the long run, it is hoped that government will put in place policies that will wean Kogi State from its total dependence on Federal allocation to meet its obligations.
We pray for Divine guidance and sincere commitment on your part sir, to bring to an end the sufferings of Kogites.
Long live Kogi State!
Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria!
Signed:
Salami Banjo
Chairman BoT, TSAN Kogi State
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